%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
% %
% %
%% %%
%%%% %%%%
%%%%%%%%
,~~;%%#### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## AND A GIFT SHOP. ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## CONSIDERED POOR. ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### SOME ARE SHATTERED. ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### %% ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### %% %% ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# %% %% #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% %% %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## LIT FROM BEHIND. ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## %% ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# %% %% #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% %% %% %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% %% %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### FLOOR. ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% BECOME STILL. %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# %% #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## %% %% ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### %% %% ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### %% ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ##%%;~~,,,
,,~~;%%### SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ###%%;~~,,
,~~;%%#### AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ####%%;~~,
,,~~;%%### ###%%;~~,,
,,,~~;%%## SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ##%%;~~,,,
,,,,~~;%%# THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK #%%;~~,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~;% I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE %;~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~;%% THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? %%;~~,,,,,
,,,,~~;%%# #%%;~~,,,,
,,,~~;%%## I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ##%%;~~,,,
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%